


Sunset Feeling

by NanakiBH



Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Awkward Romance, Comfort No Hurt, Dancing, First Time, Holding Hands, Kissing, M/M, Nakadashi, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 19:13:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8257243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: The future opened before them, flawed and beautiful.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place directly after the end of Kibou Hen. This took me longer than usual because I was really taking my time to figure out what their dynamic would be like now. It's super long because I ended up including every thought I had. Hope you dig it.

The lively atmosphere they had on the boat followed them back to the island. It continued even as the sun set below the water, as the light left the sky. A million stars watched over them as they left the ship and continued their spirited celebration on the island.

When he looked at them from a glance, Komaeda thought that everything looked familiar. It was almost enough to give him déjà vu. They were the same people he remembered, but it was like everything had been turned around. Some kind of miracle had found them. It was impossible to erase the reality of their deaths from his mind, and yet, there they were, like a paradox, right in front of him.

Smiling. Laughing.

They were happy and shining brightly.

The image in front of him was a lot like what he'd hope to paint with his own hands. In the end, he hadn't been able to provide them with that vibrant hope, but someone else had picked up the brush for him and continued on in his stead, painting them the kind of brilliant future he'd envisioned, completing what he'd left unfinished. Just watching them and knowing that their happiness was real was enough to make Komaeda forget about himself and make his vision become tearfully blurry.

The future that had simultaneously felt so uncertain yet inescapably restrictive had been broken apart and replaced with a dream as real as the air he breathed.

It was all thanks to him...

The one at his side.

Hinata-kun.

'Kamukura' was what other people still insisted on calling him, but those people didn't know Hinata. They were remembering him from a time that had never existed. The person they thought they knew was a blood-stained illusion created by Enoshima Junko; a true disservice to the real thing Komaeda had sitting beside him.

Kamukura was Hinata-kun.

Hinata-kun was Kamukura.

If it was more complicated than that, then Komaeda didn't see the distinction. They were just two halves of one whole. Did anyone ever look at their hands and feet and proclaim themselves to be only a collection of parts? Of course not.When viewed together, Hinata and Kamukura were one complete person, like a perfect harmony of the past and future.

Even if five, ten, twenty years came to pass without him ever finding it easier to believe the future in which he was living, then all he had to do was look at Hinata to remind himself of its truth.

Watching the others, Komaeda wondered if they were thinking about anything like that. He understood his tendency to overthink things and become overly sentimental. That was probably why he was still sitting off to the side even as everyone else was celebrating and having a good time with each other. Whenever he wanted, he knew that he could get up and go join them – he was their friend now, after all. Although the worry still lingered at the back of his mind, he felt assured that they weren't going to push him away if he tried to join them.

“Do you want to join them?”

Among his many talents, Hinata had successfully become a mind-reader.

His eyes were on the others, even when he spoke, watching as Mioda picked up her guitar and returned to the stage for another song. For such an occasion, they had constructed a simple outdoor stage in front of the statue on the main island. It had everything she needed to hold a performance, with speakers on either side of the stage and a row of colorful lights above.

Across from them, Owari and Nidai were grabbing skewers of meat off the grill almost as fast as Hanamaru put them down. As Saionji improvised a dance on stage with Mioda, the others gathered in front of the stage to cheer. Her music still wasn't exactly easy on the ears, but it was nice to see them enjoying it, as loud and raucous as it was.

Laughing to himself, Komaeda shook his head and moved over, bringing himself a little closer to Hinata's side. He stole a glance at the hand Hinata had resting between them and ached to touch him, but he kept his hands to himself.

He looked up, chancing another quick glance at Hinata's face, but he was still looking away. “Just watching is enough for me. I've been feeling a lot better, but I'm still not suited for crowds. I think it's enough for me just knowing that I'd be allowed to join them if I wanted. I'm happy just sitting here, watching them. People-watching is a popular hobby, you know?”

It probably sounded like he was protesting too much. It wasn't like he was lying or anything, though. He really didn't mind watching. He didn't feel like he needed to participate in order to feel like he was included. Being there and happily sharing that moment together with them was enough.

And... of course, being next to Hinata.

If Hinata decided that he wanted to get up and stand in front of the stage with them, then Komaeda was ready to get up and go with him, but he knew Hinata well enough to know that he shared his feelings. His experiences and sheer persistence made him a good leader, but he hadn't chosen that position on his own. He was still the Hinata who Komaeda remembered; the one who was always more comfortable on his own, who took things at his own pace.

“That's probably why it's so easy to be with you...”

“Hm?”

By the time Komaeda realized that he'd spoken out loud... Well, it was already too late. He'd drawn Hinata's attention and he was finally looking at him, the lights from the stage reflecting brightly in his mismatched eyes. Komaeda tried to speak, to excuse himself for speaking without thinking, but he found himself caught off guard by how mesmerizing his eyes were.

“N-nevermind. I take it back,” he mumbled, hastily taking his eyes away. “You're actually pretty dangerous and bad for my health... I think I might have a heart attack.”

Hinata's eyes widened slightly. “Did I do something?”

For someone who was supposed to know everything, Hinata still managed to be naively ignorant of the atmosphere. Komaeda wasn't sure whether to consider that a flaw or a charm point. Hinata looked really cute when he was confused, but Komaeda wished that he would just get the picture.

Then again, it didn't have to be up to Hinata. If he wanted to hold his hand, he could do that on his own now. Hinata understood how he felt and it seemed like everybody else was already clued in too, so it wouldn't be weird if he just... went for it. They had kissed and everything! Like _normal_ people! Almost like a couple, too, even though they hadn't necessarily defined what kind of relationship they were in. Whatever it was, it was _something_ , so there was no need for him to still feel so jittery and nervous about it.

It was just that little bothersome thought at the back of his mind; the one that was telling him that things were too good to be true. Everything in front of him might have just been a figment of his imagination, like the last firing of neurons inside his comatose brain or a dying dream. Perfect was too perfect, so he couldn't help but question its truth, even though he'd already concluded that he wouldn't. Even if things got better, he was destined to be stuck in such a vicious spiral forever, constantly questioning even the littlest things.

But if everything was a dream, then why not...?

He could just... He could do it.

There wasn't any harm in trying. If it were just a dream, then there wouldn't be any consequences.

Luck wasn't even a factor anymore. As far as he could tell, it couldn't bother him as long as he was with Hinata, so he didn't have to worry about misfortune interfering.

Clutching that reassuring thought, Komaeda let go of the breath he'd been unconsciously holding and placed his new left hand over Hinata's. Slowly, he turned to look at him, feeling heat rising from his chest to his cheeks. He knew that he didn't need to feel so nervous, but he couldn't stop his heart from pounding wildly as he looked at Hinata's face.

“Oh.”

That confirmed it. Hinata really _hadn't_ figured out what he was thinking. So scratch that thought about him becoming a mind-reader. He was still that dense.

Hinata's eyes softened and the somewhat surprised look on his face was replaced by a warm, reassuring smile. Turning his hand over in Komaeda's grasp, he held his hand palm to palm, and, although Komaeda couldn't physically feel his touch, he felt a warm and light feeling fill up his chest when he looked at their joined hands.

It was because of Hinata that he was even able to hold his hand. Komaeda wondered if he understood the kind of feeling he was experiencing. If that moment wasn't a dream, then, as far as he was concerned, it had to be a miracle. All of the things that had once brought them nothing but pain had connected to bring them together, transforming into something that was the farthest thing from painful. Perhaps the light sting of tears at the back of his eyes was all that remained.

“You know, Hinata-kun... Even if I never experience luck again, I still think I'm lucky.”

To his surprise, Hinata shook his head as if he were disagreeing. “Are you sure?” he asked. “When you put it that way, aren't you dismissing the effort you made to get here? I appreciate the sentiment, but I think we're the ones who are responsible for this now, just as much as we're responsible for all of the bad things, too. You won't be able to get by using luck as an excuse anymore.”

Somehow, he'd never thought about it like that. It wasn't much of a mystery why, though. Until then, luck had been the determining factor in every step of his life. He thought for sure that it was going to follow him his whole life, from his very first step to his last, pulling the strings behind his back.

To be free from its grasp... Hinata had to forgive him if he was unable to adjust to that feeling quite yet.

He might've still been Hinata, but that other part of him made him seem so knowing in a mysterious way. “It wasn't luck that brought us together like this. Just now, you're the one who chose to touch my hand, aren't you?”

Komaeda swallowed back his nerves and tried to not break their eye contact even though he was starting to feel somewhat overwhelmed. “If I'm not lucky, then... What do you expect me to say?”

“I don't know,” Hinata said. He squeezed his hand lightly. Komaeda might not have been able to feel it, but he heard the way the pressure made his hand release a quiet mechanical sound. “You have something on your mind, don't you?”

After he'd emerged from the coma, Komaeda quickly came to recognize that as Hinata's way of getting him to open up. Hinata was good at making low commitment suggestions, giving him the opportunity to approach the situation on his own. If he didn't want to deal with it, Hinata never forced him, but Komaeda always felt a need to fulfill his expectations. Because of him, he'd been able to talk to the others much more quickly than he thought he'd be able to. Now that luck wasn't interfering, it was mostly a matter of honesty.

He wanted to be honest.

“I...”

But the words halted nervously at the back of his tongue. He'd already said them before, so he didn't know what made him feel so afraid to spit them out. It had to be because of the mood. Everyone else was having a good time, celebrating carelessly, while the two of them were locked in their own world. For some reason, Komaeda had the feeling that if he uttered those words again at that moment, he might ruin something.

As far as he could tell, everything was over. Or, rather, everything was just beginning. They were at the start of a new chapter, but he was afraid of messing up the first page. All he had to do was say those words, but once he said them, he knew that they would shape the plot of the rest of their lives.

But that wasn't bad. In fact, he really _wanted_ that future. It couldn't go wrong anymore. Hinata was inviting him to say it, so...

So all he had to do was hold his hand, look into his eyes, and tell him.

“Hinata-kun, I love you.”

Without any frivolity or excuses. Just as plain and simple as it needed to be. Like that, there was no way he could be misunderstood. Over Mioda's loud music, he didn't have to worry about anyone else hearing him, either. Those words were just for Hinata, spoken directly from his heart, and he hoped that his voice was able to carry all of the thoughts and feelings he wanted to tell him in just those words. If that wasn't enough, then he was prepared to spend hours telling him all of the things he was grateful to him for.

Hours and days wouldn't have been enough, though. Ever since he'd been freed from his luck, he'd become a little selfish, so only a lifetime would suffice.

Hinata's hand slipped out of his only to slide around his waist. After giving Komaeda a look, his eyes filled with a tender feeling, Hinata rested his head on his shoulder and let out a breath. “Thank you,” he said softly. “I love you, too.”

Komaeda had no idea what he was thanking him for, but he loved hearing it. The gentleness in his voice made his heart skip a beat. He'd been wondering whether Hinata understood the sort of indescribable thing he was feeling, but that question flew out of his mind when he heard the way his voice sounded; tired, relieved, and grateful. Considering how long he'd searched before he met someone who was able to rescue him from the unrelenting cycle of his luck, Komaeda felt like the one who really had to be grateful, but...

In his faraway memories, he remembered Kamukura's face.

It didn't sound so unusual when he recalled the restlessness and longing he'd seen in him. He'd been empty.

“This feels kind of familiar,” Komaeda said, nuzzling his cheek against the top of Hinata's head. “I think I remember taking your hand on the island, once. Did that happen or was that one really just a dream? Was it before the killings began? After?”

“It's probably not a dream if I remember it too,” Hinata said. “Even if it was... Does it matter now? It came true. We'll be able to live on this island without any worry.”

He sounded so comfortable.

“That won't bother you? Won't you be bored if nothing exciting ever happens?”

Komaeda could feel the warmth of Hinata's breath against his neck as he laughed. “Do things have to be dangerous to be exciting? I think I'll be happy with things just the way they are. That's something I learned from you, Komaeda. I feel like I can be content with living an uneventful life – one where the days are comfortably predictable. That way, even the smallest differences will be interesting.”

If he didn't already know Hinata's feelings, Komaeda might've thought he was just trying to play with his heart. But even before, even when he was just Hinata, even when he was just Kamukura, he would have never went out of his way to make such a lie; that was also something Komaeda felt sure of.

“You really... love me.”

Hinata's head left his shoulder and he sat back up, placing his hand back over his. “I think I've heard that before. Is it really that hard to believe? It's like you keep experiencing the same realization over and over. I wish I could know what that felt like.” Maybe something about that seemed interesting to him. Komaeda wasn't sure how to feel about that. “When you told me your feelings, I believed you. I took your words as the complete truth.”

“Really? Jeez... Was it because I was too obvious? I... probably looked pretty desperate. I remember saying a lot of shameless things before I was able to spit it out.” Remembering the moment when he awkwardly confessed his feelings, warmth rose up in his chest, and Komaeda felt himself blushing again.

Blinking, his lashes lightly batting his cheeks, Hinata gracefully looked back toward the others with a smile on his face. “That's not it,” he said simply. “You just gave me no reason to doubt you. Emotions are predictable. If there were a flaw in your feelings – any sense of hesitation or uncertainty – I would have been able to tell. But I believe you. When you say that you love me, I believe that your feelings will never change.”

As easy as it was to become transfixed by his gentle expression, Komaeda had to look away, afraid of showing the tears that suddenly sprung to his eyes.

Like he thought, he'd been too obvious. His feelings were too straightforward and transparent. Anyone would have probably been able to tell how much he loved him if they looked at him.

And yet, Hinata, who had once hated things that were straightforward and predictable, appreciated his uncomplicated feelings. To his own credit, it was probably the only thing about him that was uncomplicated. His love for Hinata was the one thing he felt absolutely certain of. Hearing him talk about him, revealing the simplicity of his heart, Komaeda was left feeling exposed.

But that was alright. That was a feeling he'd always longed to experience; the ability to expose every part of himself to someone without fear.

“I really love you,” he said, quietly at first, still turned away from Hinata. When he looked back, he found Hinata looking at him, staring him right in the eyes. Fighting his nerves, swallowing back the lump in his throat, Komaeda repeated himself more clearly. “I really love you, Hinata-kun. I hope you don't mind if I sound like a broken record. I feel like I could say it over and over and mean it just as strongly every time.”

No. Actually, if he were being honest, it felt like it became stronger every time he said it.

He felt stronger.

Hinata nodded, smiling. “Thank you.”

There it was again. Yet, that time, Komaeda didn't find it strange at all. It sounded like Hinata's own way of telling him that he loved him. At first, he'd been so worried that his feelings would have just been a burden to Hinata, but he kept thanking him for them instead.

That time, Komaeda let himself enjoy Hinata's gaze for a little longer before slowly taking his eyes away to watch the others. The sun was gone, yet they were acting like they had endless energy. Komaeda still couldn't quite relate to that. Even though Hinata had found a way to keep his illnesses at bay for him, his energy still wasn't there. Just watching them partying at that late hour made him feel tired.

Hinata must have been able to tell what he was thinking again. “Are you tired?”

Komaeda's shoulders jolted slightly in surprise. “N... No, I'm alright. Just, even if I wanted to join everyone now, I was thinking that I wouldn't be much fun. I'm not sure I could make it back to my cottage if I tried to dance to Mioda-san's wild music. I'm sure I'd pass out before one song was through.”

“I'm glad you're thinking about it, though,” Hinata said. “Hang in there. It's my hope that you'll be able to function at one hundred percent again someday. I'm going to keep working to rid you of your cancer for good, and then I'll find a way to regrow the brain tissue you've lost.”

“Am I your pet project?”

“I'll do it. Don't underestimate me now,” Hinata said, completely serious.

Right. That had been one of his old mistakes. Komaeda felt like he still hadn't completely made it up to him for the grief he'd given him about being a talentless reserve course student. In the end, ironically, it was that totally worthless reserve course loser who was responsible for his recovering health.

“I... Sorry,” Komaeda said, tracing the back of Hinata's hand idly with his metal thumb. “I, uh...”

“You already apologized for that once,” Hinata said. “No need to say it again. I get it.”

Within the program, there had been no way for them to know who their true selves were. If he'd known who Hinata was, he would have never treated him so cruelly. It was true that he'd already apologized – more than once, to his memory – but that didn't stop him from wanting to apologize again. A few apologies weren't going to make up for the fact that he'd scorned and nearly killed the person who went on to save his life.

“If you really want to make it up to me, then just keep living.”

Startled, Komaeda stared at him, but Hinata had on another one of those oddly mysterious smiles. Komaeda couldn't tell what he was thinking when he looked that way. That sounded like a thoroughly unreasonable request, but, almost immediately, Komaeda found himself wanting to fulfill it. If it was possible, he wanted to live a thousand years. As long as Hinata was there...

As he was about to open his mouth, Mioda ended her song and the plaza became quiet. For a change of pace, she said, it was time for something different. They watched curiously as she began to pluck out a slow, familiar melody on her guitar. Saionji seemed to know exactly what she was doing as she began a dance that looked too choreographed to be improvised, twirling her fans around her as if cutting a story through the night air.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and kind of stared, surprised to hear Mioda playing something that wasn't ear-bleeding death metal. As expected of the Ultimate Light Music Club Member, her voice even suited such a delicate song. Compared to what they were used to, it was a shocking change, yet she was singing with all her heart, conveying the words of the song with an honest feeling.

Something must have made her want to change it up. Maybe her eye had caught the two of them and thought they needed some more appropriate background music for the sort of moment they were having.

It seemed like they weren't the only ones, though. Once the surprise wore off, the others began to look around at each other. Sonia looked at Tanaka and offered him her hand which he accepted like a gentleman. Souda, who had been trying unsuccessfully to capture her attention all night, looked like he'd had his soul crushed, but Komaeda had the feeling that she would lend him her attention by the next song.

Similarly, Komaeda could hear Owari and Nidai's awkward laughter from afar as they decided to stop eating for a second to enjoy a dance.

Not wanting Tsumiki to be left out, Koizumi took her hand and led her before the stage.

The Imposter grabbed Mitarai and dragged him out of his chair for a dance. Komaeda was just a little afraid that he was going to crush him. Poor Mitarai looked like he had no idea what he was doing. With one hand in the Imposter's, the other resting over his chest, he looked toward Komaeda as if begging him for help.

Mitarai wasn't the only one looking at them. When Koizumi caught their eyes, she waved a hand, gesturing for them to get up and join them. Those things Komaeda said earlier about fearing for his stamina didn't apply anymore when the song was a slow and undemanding one, so he was going to feel like a liar if he didn't get up.

One look at Hinata told him that he was feeling the same way, though.

“M-maybe we can just do... _one_ dance,” Komaeda suggested. “The song's probably already half-over anyway.”

Closing his eyes for a second, Hinata breathed in. “...Yeah. Sure. Alright.”

Hinata was the one to stand up first. He turned around and Komaeda took the hand that was extended to him. Pulse racing, Komaeda could barely hear the music anymore over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. He was proud of how far they'd come, so he wasn't ashamed of their relationship, and the others already knew, so he wasn't worried about that, but... Showing affection in front of others was just something he couldn't handle yet. Here and there, a capricious kiss where the others could see them didn't faze him, but it made him want to hide when he thought about letting anyone else see the kinds of sensitive feelings he had inside of him.

When he placed a hand on Hinata's shoulder, he felt Hinata's own nervousness. His whole body felt stiff and his lips were sealed tightly, like he was trying very hard to contain an internal scream that wanted to be freed. Seeing his face like that, Komaeda couldn't help letting out a laugh. He received a light smack on the arm for laughing, but at least the tension had been released as a result.

As Hinata's hands went to his waist, Komaeda tried not to look around at anyone else. As long as he kept his eyes on Hinata, he felt like he could continue to pretend that they were the only two there. Feeling just the warm weight of his hands resting on his waist, Komaeda placed his other hand on Hinata's shoulder and looked at his face, giving him a tentative and somewhat sympathetic smile, silently telling him that he was suffering too. But he appreciated the fact that they were in the same boat. Had they been alone, he would have felt a lot more comfortable because the idea of dancing with him itself wasn't bad at all.

They were more or less standing in place. Komaeda had read enough books to know what dancing was supposed to be like, but he wasn't able to gain experience only by reading. He'd never danced with anyone before. Shuffling their feet while they stared at each other hardly felt like it counted as 'dancing', but when he took a glance at the others, it looked like they weren't doing anything differently.

Weren't they embarrassed, too...? Didn't they feel weird?

“Hey,” Komaeda muttered, trying to keep his thoughts quiet so that no one else would hear, “aren't you, like... the Ultimate Dancer? You should be really good at this.”

“Are you insulting my technique?” Hinata asked, his face serious. A few seconds of silence passed and a stupid smirk spread across his face. “Sorry. Just kidding. I'm being crappy on purpose.”

“ _On purpose?!_ ” Komaeda fumed quietly, his voice a heated whisper. “Why are you pretending to be bad at this? C-come on. I'm dying over here.”

Face red, Hinata gave him a reasonable answer. “I'm doing what everyone else is doing. Don't wanna stand out.”

Moving as one, Sonia and Tanaka made their way toward them. Komaeda was torn between saying hey or pretending not to exist. Those two looked like naturals at the whole dancing thing. They looked really good in general. Komaeda felt like his own awkwardness was magnified times a billion when he tried to compare himself to them.

Sonia leaned close to them, keeping her hands on Tanaka's shoulders. “I haven't had the chance to say anything yet, but I think you two look really good together.” It was an amazing coincidence that she would say so after Komaeda had been thinking the same about them. “I always had a feeling about you whenever I saw you together. I think that's what the Japanese call 'boys' love', if I'm not mistaken?”

And with that, Tanaka courteously pulled her away before she could step over any other boundaries.

Komaeda watched them go with a concerned twist between his brows. “Well. She wasn't _wrong_. Not totally.” She thought they looked good together and seemed to approve of their relationship, so if there was anything he could take away from that unusual interaction, then that was it.

Hinata watched them as well. “I think we work together well as a group, but its nice that everyone here seems to have someone special to them. On an island like this, being away from land, it feels important to have close relationships, otherwise the feeling of isolation would feel unbearable.”

That sounded a bit too extreme. Komaeda lifted his right hand off Hinata's shoulder and gave his forehead a flick. “Calm that brain of yours. I'm supposed to be the one who overthinks things. I mean, it's not like we'll have to stay here forever, right?”

“Would you be bothered if we were here forever?”

Looking at him, feeling the faint warmth in his voice, Komaeda felt his heart begin to pound again. There was only one answer.

“No, I...”

As soon as he began, he realized that what Hinata had said was true. If they weren't together, at best, he would have felt like he was being trapped. If Hinata wasn't there to be his bridge between him and the others, he would have shut himself away in his loneliness and suffered until his luck forced the tides to change. Without someone like Hinata, he would have stared at the waves every day and thought about diving into them forever.

But, with him there by his side, no amount of time intimidated him. It didn't matter where they were. Whether they eventually returned to land or not, it was all the same.

“You're right,” Komaeda conceded, hanging his head. “I'd be miserable without you. The others probably feel that way about each other too, huh?” Despite the way his own words came out sounding, he knew that Hinata wasn't trying to make him feel bad. Those ties they shared were another thing for them to be grateful for.

Another lull fell.

Komaeda felt the cool night breeze against his cheek, but he resisted a shiver, the warmth of his feelings heating him up from the inside out.

Someday, he would feel no hesitation to hold on to Hinata in front of anyone. Komaeda looked forward to that day so eagerly that he was willing to start trying, to put one foot forward and take the first step toward that kind of future. That was why, even if his fingers were quivering, he lifted his hands and linked them behind Hinata's neck, putting his arms around his shoulders. His first instinct was to ask Hinata if that was alright, but he stopped himself before he could say it. His selfishness wasn't selfishness at all if they both wanted the same thing.

“Do you like dancing?” Hinata asked, leaning a little closer.

“I don't know. I don't think this counts. You'll have to show me what real dancing is like sometime – like the rumba and tango.”

Hinata's smile became uneasy. “That might be a little taxing in your condition, but I'll do it if you really want.”

“Y... You will?” Komaeda asked, leaning in closer as well, nearly putting his nose up against Hinata's. He was excited. It was a real request, but he hadn't expected Hinata to honor it. He was dying to witness all of Hinata's talents for himself.

Hinata nodded, making it a promise. Then, as if compelled by their closeness, he leaned in farther, closing the breath of space between them, and pressed their lips together. A slight panic arose at the back of Komaeda's mind, but he refused to turn away to find out if anyone was watching them. Hinata was kissing him, and no amount of embarrassment could convince him to waste the moment. He brought his arms around Hinata's shoulders more tightly and leaned against him, pressing his chest up against Hinata's. Distantly, after the initial white noise disappeared from his brain, his ears adjusted and he heard Mioda's voice again. It sounded like her song was coming to a close.

Komaeda wanted more, but that wasn't the time or the place for it. He wanted to lick Hinata's lips and open his mouth and feel his tongue, but...

“Woo-hoo! Looks like Ibuki's got a new smash hit on her hands!” Mioda was her own biggest fan. She played a power chord to congratulate herself. “I could see that some o' you kids were really feeling it. Ibuki's so glad she could get you in the mood!” She sent one very obvious wink in their direction.

Avoiding the curious stares of the others, Komaeda removed his arms from Hinata's shoulders and put them back down at his sides. He only glanced up when he felt Hinata pinching his sleeve. When he turned, he found him standing closer than he expected and Komaeda felt a hot burst in his stomach, his eyes instinctively drawn to Hinata's lips.

“Do you want to get away from here now?” Hinata asked. Mioda started up another song then, going back to her usual loud style, so it didn't matter whether he kept his voice down. “If you're tired, I can take you back to your cottage, or...”

“Or?” Komaeda asked, knowing exactly what he was hoping Hinata would say next.

“Or... you can come back to my cottage... if you want,” he said, finishing in classic Hinata fashion with red cheeks. Komaeda wouldn't have been able to deny that face even if he wanted to. “I wouldn't mind continuing from where we just left off.”

Komaeda had to tell his heart to slow down, otherwise he really was going to have a heart attack. When Hinata said that they could continue what they were doing, there was only one thing he could've been talking about. Komaeda didn't think it was wishful thinking to assume he was talking about... having sex with him. Or something.

Yeah. Judging by the blush on Hinata's face, the way he was looking at him with his lashes lowered, and by that smooth sound in his voice, it was definitely something like that.

“A-are you sure?” he asked, just to be on the safe side.

Hinata touched his arm and slid his hand down to circle around his wrist. His back was to the rest of them, so they couldn't see or hear what was going on in their little bubble. “I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't serious. You're... W-we're going out now, right? I've been holding your hand for weeks. D-don't get the wrong idea, though. I'm not going to force you to do anything if that's... not what you want, too.”

Hinata had the patience of a saint. If Komaeda had realized sooner that he was interested in going farther, then they probably could have made it to the next level already. But... It was pretty nice that Hinata had waited for him. It might not have been so great if they had rushed into a more intimate relationship before they were ready. However, after spending the night near him, listening to his loving, reassuring words, the moment couldn't have felt more right. Komaeda didn't know if he would ever find a more ideal opportunity.

“Okay,” he said. “Let's go back to yours.”

They didn't have to tell anyone they were leaving. Although it made the tips of Komaeda's ears turn pink, he imagined that they already knew where they were going.

 

As soon as they started heading back, the way in front of them became much darker without the light from the plaza. The moon did a surprisingly good job of illuminating the ground at their feet, but it also deepened the shadows that surrounded them. By its nature, the darkness was frightening, but it was also beautiful, and it was a lot easier to appreciate it without the presence of Monokuma.

As he walked beside Hinata, Komaeda tipped his head back, facing the moon, and took a deep breath, letting the salty night air fill him. During the killings, he'd been able to keep his wits about him by relying on his strong belief in hope's ability to prevail over despair. He had felt some uneasiness, for sure, but it wasn't an exaggeration to say that he'd been used to the feeling of uneasiness. Compared to the other things he'd experienced in his life, it wasn't the worst. It wasn't until he woke up that he began to realize how different that situation must have been for the others.

It was no wonder Hinata had passed out on the beach back then.

“Hinata-kun, do you ever feel frightened out here? Especially when you're alone. Especially... when you're with me,” Komaeda asked, staring at Hinata's profile.

His expression told him nothing. Hinata kept walking without a fault in his step. “No,” he said after a moment's thought. “Not particularly. And especially not with you. Are you worried that I would be afraid of you after what we went through? If that experience taught me anything about you, Komaeda, it was that you would go out of your way to put everyone's lives above your own. I trust in my own ability to defend myself now, but I also trust everyone here. I'm not afraid of the nights here anymore.”

Komaeda felt relieved. He was glad that Hinata was finally able to feel comfortable there.

But of course he would. He was Kamukura, after all.

When he thought about it like that, even the slightest fear that remained at the back of Komaeda's mind was swept away. Unexpectedly, Hinata had surpassed him. He'd become someone great; someone who could protect him from anything – wild animals, intruders, natural disasters, and even his own luck. He couldn't imagine a single challenge too difficult for Hinata to handle.

“I'm going to do my best to support you, Hinata-kun.”

Hinata looked at him and his expression softened instantly. “Same as always, then?”

Just like always. Komaeda had always wanted to be of use to him. Hinata might've been able to do everything on his own with all of his talents, but he was still only human, so he was going to need someone to help him shoulder that weight.

Coming over to his other side, Hinata took his real hand and they continued walking, heading toward the first island. As they crossed over the bridge, they stopped for a while to admire the way the moon lit up the water. Its light graced each ripple, sparkling like stars in the ocean. As beautiful as it was, Komaeda couldn't help taking his eyes away from it to look at Hinata, wondering how the pure light of the moon would look in his eyes. 

As he expected, they were beautiful.

“I wonder...” he began, looking back out over the water. “I wonder if that feeling I sensed when I first met you was true. Even now, I feel so comfortable when I'm with you. Even if you didn't have all of your other talents, I wonder if your talent could have been serenity.”

“No way. I was a wreck. I was surprised that you got that feeling around me back then. If anything... Instead, I'd say that you were the one who gave me that feeling.”

“Y-you're kidding,” Komaeda said. Hinata didn't sound like he was kidding, but it wasn't easy to accept such a compliment.

“I mean it,” Hinata said, squeezing his hand. “I had a feeling about you. That was why, whenever you said something embarrassing to me like that, I actually felt really glad because I thought it meant you felt the same way. I... always liked you. Even when you started acting differently, I still liked you. I knew that the first impression you gave me couldn't have been a lie. I wanted to bring the gentle you back; the one who was there when I woke up, who waited for me when no one else did.” The light in his eyes overflowed with sincerity. “That was why I waited for you, too. I knew I'd get to see that you again.”

Thinking back, Komaeda vividly remembered the way he'd acted on the island during the killing game. At the time, his actions didn't feel strange. He thought he was just doing the right thing for everyone. It wasn't until Hinata began restoring him to health that he realized how badly he'd misstepped.

From his perspective, Komaeda hadn't thought he'd gone anywhere...

Moving himself closer, Komaeda put his other hand over the one holding his. “It's good to be back.”

“It's good to have you.”

With that, Komaeda slipped his hand away, gave Hinata one more burning glance, and turned to walk away. If he looked at him for a second longer, he didn't know what would have happened. His heart might have burst straight from his chest. “I-I'm not used to people flirting with me, if that's what you're doing,” he mumbled, keeping his face forward. He was going to trust that Hinata was following. “You don't have to go that far, anyway. You've already got me. N-no need to be so excessive.”

Apparently Hinata didn't know what 'excessive' meant, but neither did Kamukura. It was becoming more and more clear that his talents were worthless in regards to matters of the heart. A thought like that just made Komaeda worry about what kind of night he was in for.

 

Once they were in Hinata's cottage, Komaeda went and sat down on the bed, deciding to be the one to take the first step, if only so he could save himself from some of his own feelings of nervousness. He didn't want to start hesitating. If he did, he was afraid he might chicken out before they went as far as kissing on the bed.

...That sounded like a nice place to start.

He patted the space next to him and Hinata joined him. His eyes were wide, his mouth set in a line. It seemed as though the mood they'd been enjoying on the main island had fallen away somewhere in between, giving way to their nerves.

“So,” Komaeda started, blurting out anything just to dispel the silence before it had the chance to seize the room. “So, uh... Oh, I know- No, wait...” He suddenly remembered the thought he'd been toying with moments before. “Even if you're something like the 'Ultimate Lover' now, do you think that would be able to help you if you've never done it? I'm totally assuming you haven't done it before. You would always blush around the girls, so you gave off that virgin vibe, but I could be wrong. There were a lot of things we forgot while we were in the program, so who am I to say? Maybe Kamukura-kun had a prolific sex life.”

Hinata put his elbows on his knees and put his face in his hands. “P-please stop...”

“Did I say something weird?” Komaeda tilted his head. “I'm not wrong, am I?”

“Th-that's not the point!” he stammered, quick to stand up for himself. “I've never done it before, but I know all about it. That's how it works.”

“So you might be really, really good, but there's also a chance that you might be terrible.”

Hinata took in a breath, steadying himself. In a matter of seconds, he had regained his composure almost perfectly. “Well... With my abilities of analysis, even if I have no prior experience, I should be able to... make it really good.”

'Really good', he said...

Komaeda shivered.

He could already feel himself getting back into the mood. He felt the soft gust of Hinata's ceiling fan blowing across his hot face and suddenly had the impression that it wouldn't be inappropriate if he decided to start removing clothing to make himself feel more comfortable. “You're too powerful, Hinata-kun,” he said, leaning closer, nudging his thigh against Hinata's. “I like that you're blushing, though. You'll probably do great, but you look just as embarrassed as I feel. That's really cute.”

“Now who's teasing who?” Hinata asked, looking at him with a straight face.

Although Komaeda had already built up the resolve to be the one who would make the first move, Hinata stole it from him. His chin was grasped firmly between Hinata's fingers and he was pulled into a kiss. When their lips met, he gasped – a mistake that allowed Hinata to slip his tongue into his mouth. They'd kissed like that before, but they never let it get out of hand. The last few times, after they had parted ways, Komaeda had to pathetically finish himself off, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to face anyone.

Hinata knew exactly what he was doing. Once they stopped talking, it was like a switch in him had been flipped and he became serious about trying to please him. In his eyes, Komaeda could feel all the impersonal seriousness of Kamukura, but he couldn't help the way his body was responding to him, sensing Hinata's warmth within him as well.

All of Hinata's supposed hesitation must have been a lie – or the ability that inherently came with his knowledge made him better than he was letting on. Komaeda figured that his ability of analysis must have been stronger than he was expecting. If Hinata desired, he could probably manipulate him into doing anything with just a few words and a look, but Komaeda found it hard to care about a troubling thought like that when he had Hinata's tongue caressing his own. That was what he wanted. That was what he'd always wanted, even in the program, even when he hadn't been able to admit it to himself.

All Hinata had done was ease his heart, allowing him to want what he wanted.

They were only kissing, but Komaeda's head was already getting fuzzy, his body feeling overheated. Eyes closed, he felt Hinata's unexpectedly cool fingers brush along his cheek as he pushed his hair away from his face. Before he even realized, he was on his back, laying on the bed with Hinata over him.

When Hinata's lips left his, he was finally able to breathe again, but he wanted to chase after them and keep kissing him, feeling addicted.

“Was that... part of your analysis?” he asked.

Hinata rubbed the back of one hand over his face as if he could swipe his blush away, but there was no removing it. “You liked that, right?”

He didn't need to ask that. Komaeda thought it was clear. Narrowing his eyes, he grabbed Hinata by the knot of his tie and pulled him down, crushing their lips together in a forceful, closed-mouth kiss. He blindly felt around at his side. Locating one of Hinata's hands, he grasped it and guided it to his chest, letting him feel the heat rising off his body.

Hinata was the one who pulled away, gasping and shaking his head. “Jeez, how can you stand this?” He loosened his tie and pulled it over his head, then began working on the buttons on his shirt. “You too. Unless you had some kind of expectations of me undressing you, you should undress, too. Aren't you burning up in that coat? My shirt's sticking to me.”

And how. Komaeda had been admiring the way Hinata's thin shirt was clinging to his body. In a way, it was disappointing to see him taking it off, but his disappointment vanished as soon as he saw his chest. Before, Hinata was always quick to turn down offers to go swimming, always finding one excuse or another, but Komaeda couldn't understand why. He had nothing to be ashamed of. His body was... _really nice._

“Can't wait to take my clothes off and start comparing my pathetic body to yours,” Komaeda said as he started shrugging out of his jacket, dropping some casual self-deprecation. He may have made himself chuckle, but Hinata was giving him another straight-faced stare.

“I've already seen you naked a number of times, you know.”

Komaeda stopped what he was doing and stared.

He totally forgot about that.

“Oh...”

“I didn't do anything perverted with your body. It was for the sake of treating you. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I _am_ like your doctor now, so just think about it that way. Besides, I recall you telling me once that you wouldn't mind it if I wanted to see you naked.”

“I thought you said it wasn't for perverted reasons!”

“Oh, so you still don't mind?” he asked, acting innocent.

Komaeda grabbed one of the pillows off Hinata's bed and chucked it at him. Before it could hit him in the face, Hinata expertly caught it in one hand with lightning-fast reflexes. As impressive as it was, Komaeda would've been lying if he said he wasn't a little annoyed by it. At least Hinata seemed to get the picture. He stared down at the pillow in his hands, fluffed it, then placed it back where it belonged, avoiding eye contact with him all the while.

“Sorry.” He sat down next to him. “Jokes aside, you don't have to worry about comparing yourself. Really, I think you're fine just the way you are. I hope you don't mind if I say this, but I enjoy watching your condition improve. Even it's just a slight difference in your complexion, it makes me happy – I feel like I've done a good job. And it means you'll be here longer.”

Well, if he went and said things like that, there was no way Komaeda could keep feeling irritated.

“...That's really sweet.”

Hinata just smiled. It was nice, seeing him smile. Even in the middle of the night, seeing his smile was like glimpsing a ray of sunlight.

Taking his jacket from him, Hinata folded it in half, then left the bed for a second to hang it over the back of his couch. As soon as he returned, he placed his hands on Komaeda's waist and started pushing his shirt up. Komaeda thought he already indicated that he didn't expect him to undress him, but if he was going to do it unprompted, then that was fine, he supposed. He didn't have any complaints. It wasn't every day that someone treated him with such reverence.

Especially from Hinata, it felt unexpected, but Komaeda had to remind himself that he wasn't _just_ Hinata any longer. The thought that he was being undressed by Kamukura made him lose his composure.

By the time Hinata got his shirt off, Komaeda was trembling slightly and he was already embarrassingly hard. Looking down at his own body did make him feel pretty pathetic, especially when he looked up and compared his frail-looking chest to Hinata's impressively abundant chest. He really was the type who looked slimmer when his clothes were on – not that he had anything to be ashamed of. Every pound on him looked like it was pure muscle.

“When the heck did you get so attractive?” Komaeda mumbled, unconsciously lifting his right hand to touch Hinata's chest, feeling the plush, round shape of one pec. “This is absurd. I hate you.”

“You're drooling, you know.”

“Uh-huh...” Komaeda swiped at the corner of his mouth with his other hand, smearing drool across the metal. Deciding that he might as well go the whole mile, he put his other hand on his chest and pressed his palms together, admiring the size of his chest. They were really soft. Would probably make good pillows. Next time he got winded, he'd have to remember to ask Hinata if he could borrow his chest for a nap.

He'd ended up getting himself distracted, so when he looked up again, he was surprised by the look on Hinata's face. To start with, he was surprised that Hinata was letting him do whatever he wanted with his chest, but it looked like he was actually enjoying it. He might've just not wanted to admit it. His eyes were half-lidded and his lips were parted. His breaths were slow and deep. Feeling heat swirling in his gut, Komaeda rubbed his thumbs over Hinata's nipples and watched as his face tightened for a second before melting into a positively lewd expression.

“I guess I _can_ tell that you're a virgin, after all,” Komaeda said, teasing his nipples a little more, flicking the tips of his thumbs over them repeatedly.

“Is this... the kind of thing people do on their first time?” Hinata asked. There was a pause between his words as he winced, looking like he was having trouble controlling himself.

Komaeda hummed, amused. “I don't know. Aren't you the one who's supposed to know?” He wasn't cruel enough to keep teasing him, so he relented, smoothing his hands over Hinata's sides and his back to help ease him. His own chest was rather sensitive, so that look on Hinata's face felt familiar. He pushed him away gently and kept his eyes on Hinata's as he pushed himself up and resituated himself, placing his head on the pillow he'd thrown at Hinata's face. “Here. Weren't you going to finish undressing me?”

Hinata pulled off his open shirt and carelessly let it fall on the floor. A second later, he was leaning over him again, straddling his waist, their lips together. As Hinata bit at his lips and sucked on his tongue, his hands wandered down his body, finding their way to the waist of his pants. Once their fastenings were undone, he broke away to pull them down. Komaeda lifted his hips for him, letting him pull his pants down along with his underwear.

He was wearing his lucky pair. Even if his luck was rebounded in Hinata's presence, Komaeda felt like it was his lucky day.

Hinata took them off along with everything else until he was completely undressed. Not wasting another second, Hinata also unbuttoned his own pants and struggled with them in his haste to get them off, proving that his excitement could indeed get in his way despite his high talent level. Komaeda had half-expected him to take it more slowly, to savor the act of removing each and every article of clothing, but efficiency and raw eagerness appeared to be winning out.

“That probably didn't look great,” Hinata muttered to himself.

“Yeah, you were flailing.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I shouldn't have said anything.”

At least there was something to be said for all of their awkwardness. Their ability to laugh at themselves was the thing that kept them from getting too embarrassed. Komaeda wasn't sure whether his old self would have been able to feel that comfortable, even around Hinata. It was almost strange. The time when they first met felt like it was just the other day, yet they had already spent so much time becoming closer.

The Hinata-kun in front of him was certainly his Hinata-kun.

Laying on his back, Komaeda held out his hands, beckoning him closer. The hesitation on Hinata's face disappeared in an instant as he came nearer. He placed his hands on Komaeda's knees and widened them, kneeling between them.

“When I compare myself to you, I only find more things I love,” Hinata said, running the tips of his fingers along the inside of one of Komaeda's thighs, tracing them over the long scars that he'd received from Genocider Syo.

Komaeda shivered, unable to hide the way Hinata's voice and gentle touch made his cock twitch against his stomach. His eyes followed Hinata's movements, watching carefully as he moved his fingers up, over his hips, along the sensitive plain of his stomach, then higher. He already felt sufficiently aroused, so if Hinata wanted to do it, they could've just done it. Komaeda felt shamefully impatient; part of him eager to get it over with to save himself from possible embarrassment, another part just desperate and hungry for a deeper and more meaningful kind of contact.

He didn't know what he wanted. Those were two very different feelings.

In the end, he decided to let Hinata do as he pleased, embarrassment be damned. Nothing was going to stop them at that point anyway. The time for worrying was far behind them.

Distracted by the feeling of Hinata's fingers toying with one of his nipples, he was caught off guard when he suddenly felt his other hand wrap around his cock. He grasped Hinata's shoulders and his hips jerked involuntarily, thrusting up into his hand. His cheeks burned when he heard Hinata give an amused laugh.

“Hey, you never told me if you were a virgin, too. I already fessed up, so fair is fair.”

“Do you really think anyone would've wanted to touch m-” No... No, he had to stop himself there before he could go any farther. If he said that, it would've been like he was ignoring the reality right in front of him. He had someone who wanted to touch him... “Yeah. I am, too... You're my first.”

“You almost made that sound like it was a bad thing. I'm glad I get to be the first person to touch you.” Hinata leaned in and kissed him as he gently moved his hand. “I never knew that this sort of feeling could be so exciting. I love the thought that you're mine and mine alone.”

Komaeda gasped, tightening the grip of his fingers on Hinata's shoulders. Vaguely, he hoped that he wasn't hurting him with his artificial hand. He was still adjusting to it. “W-why is that exciting? Aren't I still kind of worthless...?”

“Your whole existence is interesting to me,” Hinata said, his red eye glistening brightly. Those words sounded like the echo of something Komaeda had heard, once. “I'm happy when I'm with you. For someone like me, that means a lot.”

“I feel like I've been romanced by two men in one night and I'm in love with both of them...”

No, wait. That wasn't just a feeling.

Hinata kissed him again. He sat up, running his hand down Komaeda's body as he got up, giving his cock a few more light strokes. “Give me a second,” he said, letting go of him to get up from the bed. Komaeda watched him, his vision blurry with the haze of simmering pleasure.

Any little touch Hinata gave him felt like the right touch, so he was afraid to see how much better it could get. Hinata wasn't even halfway to giving him his all yet.

He returned with a tube of something in hand. “Uh... It's lube,” he said. “Before you say anything – _yes_ , of course I was prepared. That's part of my nature now. Get used to it.”

“Pretty soon, I'm not even going to need to speak if you keep predicting what I'm going to say.” As soon as he saw Hinata uncap the tube, Komaeda's hand shot out to catch his. “H- ...Hang on. You've been doing everything so far. If you want things to be fair, then wouldn't it be more fair if you let me touch you a little, too? I could... do that for you.”

With the idea of his precious control being compromised, Hinata looked shaken, but he relinquished the tube to him. Hands on his thighs, he waited for Komaeda to sit up. After squeezing a bit of the cold, clear gel into his hand, Komaeda faced him and tried not to stare too hard at his dick. Seemed impolite.

But he had a really nice one...

It was a little thicker than his own, but it was about the same length. The only way he was going to be able to tell was if they compared them side by side. He'd save that thought for some other time.

His body felt hot, his fingers burning with the desire to touch him. After making sure his palm was well coated, he wrapped his hand around him, letting him get used to the feeling at first. It felt strange to have someone else touching him for the first time, so he understood if Hinata would need a moment to adjust. Looking at Hinata's face, Komaeda noticed the distant look he was wearing, but his eyes were focused on what he was doing with his hand.

Komaeda did his best, stroking him gently yet firmly in the way he enjoyed, hoping that Hinata would also like it.

“So.” He turned his face away for a second, looking back toward the pillows. “This has already been decided, hasn't it? I mean... Me, laying on the bed with you on top of me. Now I'm doing this for you. I-I'm the one on bottom, aren't I? That's totally where this is going.”

“You don't have to be on the bottom if you don't want,” Hinata said. He moved himself closer, biting down on his lower lip as Komaeda rubbed his palm over the head of his cock. “Neither of us has to be on bottom, technically. There are other things we can do. This already feels pretty good, so we could-”

“I want to be on bottom.”

Hinata's cock jerked against his hand and when Komaeda pulled away, his palm was dripping with a thread of precum. Apparently Hinata wanted to be on top.

“Lay down,” Hinata said. “On your stomach.”

Komaeda was a little confused why he had to lay on his stomach, but he did as he was told, going back to where he'd been before. Wrapping his arms around the pillow, he looked back over his shoulder and watched as Hinata squeezed some of the lube onto his fingers and spread it around. Komaeda didn't know whether he should lift his hips, but that didn't seem to be a problem. Hinata straddled one of his legs. He placed a hand on his hip, then guided one of his slick fingers between his legs.

Komaeda's body seized up momentarily, unused to the intruding feeling, but, very quickly, he started to feel...

“Th-that's...” Komaeda held his breath and tried not to let out the loud moan that was threatening to escape. When Hinata paused, he sucked in a breath. “It's not supposed to feel _that_ good, is it? I thought your first time was supposed to be terrifying and painful. What kind of magic is this? Was I right about you being the Ultimate Lover?”

“I know where your prostate is. It's easy to reach from this position,” Hinata explained with clinical simplicity.

Komaeda's hips wiggled, attempting to make Hinata touch that place again. It didn't feel the same, though. He was at Hinata's mercy, waiting for him to give him more.

Hinata moved his finger and added a second, spreading them inside of him. Komaeda was starting to see how it could've been painful, but he didn't need to worry when Hinata was so knowledgeable. Like he'd said – experience or not, he was going to find a way to make it feel good – and he was succeeding.

He twisted his fingers and pressed them together over that spot inside of him, massaging it with a smooth motion of his wrist that made Komaeda's breath stutter. “Have you never done it this way before?” Hinata asked. “You know... Used your fingers for _that_ kind of thing.”

“You can say the word 'prostate', but you have trouble asking me if I masturbate? Hinata-kun, please.”

“You wouldn't have acted surprised if you'd done it before.”

Komaeda took another look over his shoulder but quickly looked away when he caught the sight of Hinata kneeling over him, naked, two fingers inside of him. “I was too nervous to try it by myself. And it sounded dangerous. I didn't want to risk it.”

“Well, if you use a lot of lube, it's not a problem. See?” Hinata angled his wrist and his fingers went even deeper. Komaeda clutched the pillow tightly as his body tightened up around the fingers inside him. His cock was starting to ache, trapped between his stomach and the slightly irritating surface of the bed sheet. Whenever Hinata teased that spot, he felt a part of his mind slipping away. If it felt that amazing when he only used two fingers, Komaeda couldn't even begin to imagine how good it was going to feel to have his cock inside of him.

“Hinata-kun, I...” He didn't know what he was going to ask him for. His voice just came out on its own. All he knew was that he wanted Hinata to continue, to give him more. Like he thought, Hinata could easily manipulate his body if he wanted to. With a few touches, he was already melting in his hands, becoming someone else.

He lifted his hips up off the bed, feeling the stickiness of precum dribbling down the tip of his cock, connecting to the sheets beneath him. He wanted to put himself up on his knees. If he got into that kind of position, then there was no way Hinata could mistake what he wanted him to do – but Hinata pushed him back down gently, making him keep his hips on the bed. His fingers disappeared from him suddenly, and Komaeda heard him open the tube again. Before he could feel disappointed, Hinata's fingers returned, that time with a third. Since it was Komaeda's first experience, three fingers sounded unreasonable to him, but his body was opening up, taking them in easily.

Komaeda groaned, burying his face in the pillow. His insides felt sensitive around Hinata's probing fingers. There was a sting from the stretch, but it felt like a necessary pain. It might've been much worse with anyone other than Hinata.

All too soon, his hand disappeared again. Komaeda heard him get off the bed, but he felt too relaxed to move, even to look. He didn't know when he'd reached that point. It was almost like he'd been paralyzed; he felt incredible, his skin buzzing with warmth, but all of his limbs felt heavy.

Taking in a breath, he forced himself to look and found where Hinata was, returning from the bathroom, cleaning off his hands with a hand towel. Komaeda couldn't help dropping his eyes to his cock. He grinned to himself.

“You ready?” Hinata asked, getting back on the bed. He put the towel next to them and grabbed Komaeda's hips. Komaeda raised his hips for him, but, that time, they weren't just pushed down – Hinata lifted him and flipped him over, putting him on his back. Feeling confused, he looked up at Hinata, but swallowed the questions he was about to ask when Hinata pushed his knees apart and moved between them.

They were going to do it face to face...?

Before Komaeda's nerves could get the better of him, Hinata reached out and put a hand on his cheek. Hinata didn't totally know what he was doing either, but that helped somehow. Komaeda smiled up at him and touched his hand. They were making it up as they went along. At that moment, there was nothing more reassuring than that thought.

“Alright,” Hinata said, carefully getting himself into position. “I'm going to put it in now.”

Komaeda felt the tip pressing against him. His heart flying into an excited panic, he curled his fingers in the sheets at his sides and watched with hushed breath as Hinata slowly began to press forward, nudging the head against him a little at a time until he began to open up around him, allowing the tip inside. Once that much was inside, Hinata paused to breathe, grasping one of Komaeda's thighs.

“Almost. Just a little more. Try to relax.”

Relaxing sounded like a tall order when his head was spinning, but Komaeda tried. Although he wanted to keep watching, it wasn't helping, so he put his head back, feeling the soft pillow behind him, and closed his eyes. As Komaeda breathed in, Hinata stroked his thigh gently and continued to roll his hips, making short, shallow thrusts.

It was surprising how good it already felt... He was stretched around him tightly, but it didn't hurt like he thought it might. Hinata's preparation truly was the ultimate. Inside, he just felt incredibly sensitive; the deeper Hinata went, the more he felt, building up the layers of pleasure.

Before he knew it, Hinata had the full length of it inside of him. Once it was all in, though, he stopped again, waiting. Komaeda opened his bleary eyes and looked down, laughing deliriously when he saw how they looked when they were fully connected. It was such an erotic sight. He reached down with his right hand and touched his fingers there, feeling how tight he felt around Hinata's cock.

“You did it!” Komaeda remarked. Hinata was allowed to take that as praise if he wanted.

Hinata, however, looked like he was trying to hold himself together lest the fragile threads tethering his self-control came undone. He'd done an impressive job so far, but he was only a virgin, so it was probably unwise to expect much from his stamina.

Komaeda held out his arms and Hinata gratefully sunk into them, pressing his face between his neck and shoulder. “Move how you want, Hinata-kun. You don't have to worry about impressing me. I already feel so lucky just to have gotten this far with you. I'd always dreamed that I would be held by someone else like this, but it was a very, very distant dream. To think that this is real...” He touched the side of Hinata's face, looked into his eyes. “I'm unspeakably happy. My night has already been made.”

“Komaeda...” Hinata gazed into his eyes. “Stop talking like you're expecting me to nut in five seconds. I have more control than that.”

Putting his arms underneath him, Hinata surprised him with a roll of his hips that drove straight into that one spot inside of him that made his toes curl. “H-... How?” Komaeda gasped, clawing his fingers over his back.

“What do you mean 'how'?” Hinata asked, adopting that unnervingly serious tone of voice. “This position is fundamentally different from before, but it's also the most ideal for what we're doing. In this position, the natural curve of my erection can perfectly stimulate your prosta-”

“Have mercy on me, Kamukura-kun!” He needed to help him study dirty talk or something. Though... The way he talked did have its own sort of appeal, as unconventional as it was.

He must've taken that as an order. Hinata didn't say anything else, placing their lips together instead. Komaeda had lost count of how many times their lips had met that night, but that realization gave him a fluffy feeling inside. He and Hinata were finally a really real couple. For the first time, he had someone who would be there for him, who wouldn't leave, who wasn't affected by his luck. If he allowed himself to think optimistically, then, without luck in their way, they could be together forever. That night was the consummation of their future together.

Hinata continued to move then, giving him deeper thrusts that lazily nudged against the sensitive spot inside of him. His cock felt impossibly hard, but Hinata seemed to have control over himself; breathing calmly, taking his time as he kissed him in a way that nearly mimicked the way he was making love to him.

Making... love...

Yeah, that was definitely what they were doing. Komaeda's few lewd thoughts aside, there was a certain simplicity to the kind of sex they were having. He didn't feel a sense of urgency. He didn't feel the need to make Hinata go harder or faster. His pleasure had been building up all night, stacking gradually, and he was sure that it wouldn't take much for him to come, but he was going to reach that point at a comfortable pace. He was looking forward to it, but he was also enjoying being there in the moment; the feeling of Hinata's arms around them, their bodies so close, his lips...

So that was what it was like to have someone. All those times when he told himself that he could continue living even without being near to someone, he must have been lying to himself.

Maybe. _Maybe_ he could have kept living that way... Surely, he was strong for having made it that far.

But he didn't want to live that way.

Knowing the softness of Hinata's lips and the warmth of arms, he couldn't imagine going back to the way things had been without him.

“I love you,” he whispered against Hinata's lips. He opened his eyes and looked into Hinata's, and he hoped that he felt what he was saying. Hinata, Kamukura, and the singular person they became – he loved them for loving him.

Hinata held him tighter, placing a hand at the back of Komaeda's neck to hold him near.

“I love you, too.”

How many times was that?

It didn't matter, Komaeda decided. He was pleased with the fact that he'd heard it enough times to lose count. He wanted the rest of his life to be filled with countless I love you's.

“This is good,” Hinata said, his voice sounding soft and relaxed. They were laying very close together, chests touching, Hinata's thrusts going and staying deep in that position. Komaeda would've been content if they stayed that way, but Hinata slowly released him from his arms and sat up on his knees, moving his hands to Komaeda's hips. “Ha... Whoa.” He was looking down at him, his eyes looking unfocused. “You, um... You look really good like this, Komaeda.”

“Thanks...? I think...”

That sounded like a strange compliment, but he understood as soon as he looked down at himself. His skin looked flushed, glistening with a sheer sweat, and there was precum all over his stomach, dripping from the tip of his cock. All of that inner stimulation was doing a number on him. If Hinata kept working on him like that, he was bound to come without even having his cock touched. The thought of that was kind of exciting, but he also really wanted Hinata to touch him.

Hinata touched his arm – the metal one – brushing his fingers over the place where the metal met his skin. He couldn't feel the rest of that arm, but that spot... He felt _everything_ at that spot. A helpless moan slipped past Komaeda's lips and he pressed his head back into the pillow, tightening his fists in the sheets. It was too late. He was sure that Hinata was already adding that to his ammunition. As if he were just trying to make him moan like that again, Hinata continued to massage that part of his arm, then went higher, running his hand over his shoulder.

“Mn... Not there, Hinata-kun. Please, my... I want you to...” He looked at Hinata, then glanced downward, hoping to make him figure it out without making him say it.

“Hm? I think you can say it.”

Shit.

“Fine.” Komaeda locked his ankles behind Hinata's back and pulled him closer, pushing him all the way inside. He delighted in the surprised look it put on Hinata's face. “A true gentleman would touch my cock. Is that clear enough?”

“Ah, so this is about me being a gentleman. I see.” Hinata nodded to himself. “A true gentleman wouldn't tease you, I s'ppose.”

The hand Komaeda had been waiting for was finally wrapped around his cock, but then... Nothing. Even ceasing the movement of his hips, Hinata looked down, sweat rolling down his chest, a big grin on his face, and held his cock in his palm, giving it the lightest of strokes with his thumb.

“What do you think you're-”

...That actually felt really good.

He could feel Hinata's cock inside of him, and even without him thrusting his hips, his body was responding, gripping him tight, his walls quivering around him. It was all the way inside still and Komaeda could feel it just _barely_ rubbing that spot. He tried to move on his own, but he couldn't quite get it. His cock was twitching in Hinata's hand, dripping more precum over the backs of his fingers.

“Y-you don't want to make me come like _this_ , do you? Cuz I will. I... I think I...”

Hinata was dangerous. He was definitely dangerous.

For a virgin to be able to nearly make him come without barely doing anything... It was ridiculous. And embarrassing.

The hand around him tightened and blessedly began to move. Leaning in, so close that Komaeda could feel his breath against his cheek, Hinata spoke, revealing the fraying ends of his own control. “Were you fooled? I have a great poker face now. I feel like I'm about to come, too. It feels like we haven't done much yet, but...

Komaeda put his arms around him and urged him to keep moving his hips, letting out a loud and shameless moan when Hinata complied. The others probably hadn't come back to their cottages yet, so he was safe to make as much noise as he wanted. When he moaned, he heard Hinata let out a groan of his own, so Komaeda decided not to hold back. Whenever he received a particularly nice thrust, he let his moans go free.

Hinata kept perfect time between his hand and hips, giving Komaeda's cock a thorough stroke from the head down to the base each time he went deep. The air between them became thick with the heady combination of their body heat, moans, and the sound of their bodies rocking together on the bed. They lapsed into silence, their words lost between their hungry mouths.

He was going to come... But at least he figured that Hinata would be aware. He seemed to know everything. Inside, he was getting even tighter around him as he drew nearer to climax. As long as Hinata kept moving that way...

“Hinata-kun, I'm-” Behind his back, Komaeda grasped his left hand in his right to make sure that he wouldn't grasp him and accidentally hurt him. The pleasurable, warm feeling inside of him grew into a fire that climbed higher and higher, stoked by Hinata's inexperienced yet surprisingly satisfying touch. Neither of them quickened the pace. Komaeda's climax crashed into him and carried him away like the waves, pulling him out farther before gently bringing him back to the shore.

While he was in the midst of his climax, he felt Hinata's follow. For some reason, feeling the heat of his cum inside of him just turned Komaeda on more. If he'd realized that he was going to come inside of him, he might have told him to pull out, but, after feeling it inside of him, filling him up, he was glad he hadn't said anything.

Even when it was over, they stayed connected, holding each other, breathing, waiting for the world to rematerialize around him. Through the clearing haze, Komaeda felt the breeze of the fan and heard the quiet, intermittent sounds of the island's various insects outside.

“Each one has a different sound...”

“Huh?” Hinata turned his head against his shoulder.

Komaeda glanced over, met his eyes. “The bugs outside. There's-...” He paused, listening. “...-At least three different kinds that I can hear. Maybe four.”

“That's the first thing you had to say?”

“What's wrong with that? The sound of them is really relaxing. It always helped me fall asleep, even when I knew I'd wake up to another one of Monokuma's announcements.” Might not have been the best time to be mentioning that, but Hinata didn't react. He'd changed. “It probably doesn't make a difference to you now, does it?”

Closing his eyes for a moment, Hinata breathed in, then pushed himself up, stretching the weariness out of his limbs. “Not at all. I like it, too. Despite everything, I like this island and all of its sounds; the insects at night, the waves in the morning... As long as I hear your voice too, they won't make me feel alone.”

“You have everyone else here too, though.”

Hinata's brows furrowed. “I was trying to sound romantic.”

“You know what would be really romantic? If you pulled out. I feel sticky.”

“Are you doing this on purpose?” Feigned annoyance aside, Hinata did as he was asked, making a face as he pulled out, still sensitive. Finding the towel he'd brought with him earlier, he started cleaning them up.

“You haven't fixed my brain yet, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda sang, his toes wiggling ticklishly as Hinata ran the towel over his stomach. “Gosh, I just can't control the words that come out of my mouth. I'm destined to embarrass you forever. How horrible.”

“It sounds like you're asking to be lobotomized.”

Komaeda knew that he was just joking, but that tone of voice made him worry. Just a bit. “H-honestly, I don't know how serious I'm being, either. I _think_ I have better judgment now, but if something irresistible pops into my head, I can't stop myself from saying it. Was that inappropriate? I... I thought I was being funny.” But instead, he went and ruined the mood. Hinata might've changed, but some things about _him_ were still the same.

Hinata placed a hand on his shoulder, leaned in, and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “You're fine. I know you were joking. You don't have to be perfect to be perfect.” As imperfect as that statement itself sounded, it was also perfect in its own way. Hinata was better at being romantic when he wasn't trying.

Pulling away, Hinata left the bed for another moment and returned wearing his underwear. He tossed Komaeda's to him, which Komaeda caught, but he didn't feel like putting them on. The soft sheets felt nice against his skin, and, if only that once, he wanted to experience a night naked in Hinata's bed. _That_ sounded romantic.

“Fine, fine,” Hinata mumbled, sliding into bed with him after turning off the lights. When he opened his arms, Komaeda crawled into them and curled against him, pressing his cheek to his chest. If he was allowed to be that close, then he was going to make the most of it.

A few quiet moments passed, filled with nothing but the chirping of insects and the sound of the waves in the distance. As his grasp on his awareness began to slip away, Komaeda gave a soft laugh against Hinata's chest, using the last of his energy to admire the way things had turned out.

In the morning, he knew that he would wake up and still be imperfect, but if that was what made him perfect to someone, then he wasn't going to worry about losing the important thing he'd found.


End file.
